Saturday, 15 September 2012

Bernard-Henri Lévy - Grotesque Peacock

A while back, I was getting into Slavoj Zizek and I watched this debate called Violence & The Left In Dark Times, held between Zizek and Bernhard-Henri Levy at the The New York Public Library with host Paul Holdengräber. I was repulsed by what I heard and infuriated with what I saw; I wrote the following in the comments:

"I'm reluctant to say this as a generalism but the French are insufferable here. The host/MC is a sycophant of the highest order. If manners are about direct eye engagement then Bernard is a philistine of courtesy being fellated by a pygmy of enlightenment".

You can imagine how delighted I was just now to learn, that quite by chance the other moral spirit-level of the times (with respect to who I find inspirational), Tariq Ali has now pursued Bernhard Henri-Levy for a mock trial just recently on January 28, along with activists belonging to the PIR (Parti des Indigènes de la République). Both Norman Finkelstein and Tariq Ali were the only non-French who gave evidence against Levy.

It's a good feeling to see my sentiments echoed from those first few hours I watched BHL in action defending the indefensible with dripping arrogance.

Tariq writes: "I’ve always regarded BHL as a comic figure. On the two occasions — in Berlin and New York– that I’ve shared a platform to debate him he reminded me of a puffed up peacock in heat (hence, I thought, the permanently unbuttoned shirt).

You can read more of that over at Tariq's blog as this now leaves me to pursue the other buffoon in the shape of Paul Holdengräber who portrays Zizek as taking up too much time in the debate. A point I aim to make sure is vindicated as untrue. It's evident he gives too much of the floor to Levy in the video below in pursuit of sycophancy. See for yourself because the next time I watch it, the stopwatch is out and Paul Holdengräber will be acquainted with the facts. Any New York friends go to the public library?

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